Thursday, October 1, 2009

Brother James Miller, martyred in Guatemala in 1982, has recently been declared a “Servant of God,” the first step in the process toward beatification. In recent meetings in Guatemala and the United States, Brother Rodolfo Meoli, Postulator General, received a letter from the Bishop of Guatemala that introduced to the Vatican the cause of Brother James.

Brother James is a 1966 Saint Mary’s graduate who did mission work in Nicaragua and Guatemala. It was in the latter country — while doing God’s work of bringing education, faith and hope to marginalized people — that he was shot and killed on Feb. 13, 1982.

Chris Ayers, a Los Angeles character designer, and Maureen Costa, an Arizona sculptor, will display their work Oct. 7 through Nov. 11 at Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries.

Ayers’ film credits for character design include “Star Trek XI,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “Fantastic Four,” “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk” and “Men in Black 2.” In the spring of 2005, Ayers was diagnosed with leukemia, a type of blood cancer. One year later, he started a sketchbook and drew one animal each day for a year to help with his healing process. His SMU show, “The Daily Zoo,” will include a variety of these sketches — now published in the book, “The Daily Zoo: Keeping the Doctor at Bay with a Drawing a Day.”

In “Contemplation,” Costa will display work that serves as a metaphor about the religious imagination, reincarnation and the changing states of consciousness. Her pieces, carved from basswood, have a bulbous shape, from which she is able to create a “moment of blissful liberation.” Costa says, in her view, that humanity is in a constant state of changing and metamorphosis, and she aspires to reflect that change in her work.

A closing reception will be held 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at the galleries. Ayers will be present for the show’s closing to sign his book, which will be available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds from “The Daily Zoo” is used to support cancer-related charities and research.

Admission is free and open to the public, and gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information, call Ext. 1652.

The Page Theatre stage will come alive with the colorful costumes and artistic acrobatics of the Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15.

The world-renowned ensemble of 80 folk dancers and musicians will showcase authentic Ukrainian costumes, regional music and lively, dramatic stunts as members leap through the air and spin like tops.

The Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company, founded in 1937 by ballet master Pavlo Virsky, embraces the charm, beauty and folk dance traditions of its homeland and shares them with audiences in the four corners of the world. Clad in colorful clothing and blessed with grace, the company performs dances filled with romance, optimism, humor and occasionally sorrow.

Tickets are $27 for adults and $25 for seniors and students and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Brother Edmund Siderewicz, FSC, assistant to the President for First Generation and LaSallian Initiatives, will receive the Bishop Carroll T. Dozier Award for Peace and Justice at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, in the University Theater at Christian Brothers University (CBU).

After teaching for eight years in Guatemala, Siderewicz returned to the U.S. with a dream of continuing the Lasallian tradition of providing “a human and Christian education” for children of inner-city Chicago. This dream became reality in 1995 when he co-founded the first San Miguel School in Chicago. A second campus was established in the Austin neighborhood in 2002. Today the San Miguel schools serve over 350 middle-school and high school youth in Chicago’s most challenged neighborhoods.

Brother Siderewicz is being honored for his commitment to justice, service to the poor and marginalized and dedication to providing the youth of the world “a human and Christian education.” The Dozier Award for Peace and Justice is named for Bishop Carroll T. Dozier, the first Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis and a leader in race relations, peace and justice. Bishop Dozier served as Bishop of Memphis from 1971-1982. This event is free and open to the public.

In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (HOBT) will conduct a workshop on the use of puppets and storytelling in the classroom from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Bluffview Montessori School.

The workshop, hosted by Saint Mary’s University and supported in part by the Minnesota State Arts Board Arts Across America grant, will include details on how to use paper, glue, paint and chicken wire to engage students in learning about complex issues. HOBT artists will present hands-on instruction in puppetry and will discuss how to integrate the arts into the classroom in core subjects such as science.

The workshop coincides with HOBT’s Oct. 23 performance of “Beneath the Surface” at Saint Mary’s. During the Page Series performance, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre will present a circus of wonderment about our relationship to water beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Page Theatre. Tickets are $12, $5 for students and seniors, and are available at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

The cost for the workshop is $15. Space is limited, and registration must be made by Wednesday, Oct. 14. Contact Jennifer Fanello at the Saint Mary’s Box Office by calling Ext. 1716 or e-mailing jfanello@smumn.edu.

Saint Mary’s University theatre majors will stage the bittersweet comedy “Vanities,” a show that chronicles the lives, loves, disappointments and dreams of three best friends, in London.

The plot revolves around three women as they mature during tumultuous times in American history — the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the height of the Vietnam War and the women’s movement. Although written in ’70s, “Vanities” focuses on the timeless question all women ask themselves, “Can we have it all?” The play is directed by Dr. Gary Diomandes.

Qualified theatre majors at Saint Mary's are studying theatre in London this semester through the Stefannié Valéncia Kierlin Theatre in London Program.

Alumni of the Doctoral Program in Leadership (Ed.D.) are invited to attend the sixth annual Ed.D. Research Symposium. The accomplishments of recent graduates will be highlighted, allowing current students to receive valuable feedback from their peers and providing an opportunity for Saint Mary’s students to share their accomplishments with a wider professional audience.

The symposium is planned for 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, in LaSalle Hall at the Twin Cities campus.

For more information, contact Britt Bakken at (612) 728-5127 or bbakken@smumn.edu.

Career Services and Internships is co-sponsoring two fairs in October. Both fairs are free to attend and open to all students.

Career Fair 2009 is co-sponsored by Career Services at SMU, Winona State University and Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical. It will be held from 12 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, in McCown Gymnasium of Memorial Hall at WSU. This event is free and open to all students, freshmen through seniors. Close to 100 employers and graduate schools are registered to attend. This event is beneficial for students looking for information about a particular career or company, seeking an internship, job-hunting or researching graduate schools. For information on the companies and graduate schools attending, look online at www.smumn.edu/csifairs.aspx.

A number of employers will be interviewing candidates for full-time career and internship opportunities on Thursday, Oct. 15. Students can sign up in Room 136 Saint Mary's Hall.

The Minnesota College & University Career Services Association is sponsoring the sixth annual Government Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, in the Great Hall of the Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. Students can find out how to start a career in government. This fair is open to all students, freshmen through seniors. A list of the government agencies attending can be found at www.mcucsa.org/govjobfair.

Students should not register online; they can go to Room 136 Saint Mary’s Hall or call Ext. 6996 by Friday, Oct. 16.

Tickets are sold out for the first Page Series event, Buckets and Tap Shoes. This company of musicians, percussionists and rhythm tap dancers will perform in Page Theatre at 6:30 p.m. today, Friday, Oct. 2.

Congratulations go to the three winners of the Movie Nest liquidation raffle, Gary Borash, Vanessa Grams and Stephanie Binot. These three students each won popcorn, candy and a 2-liter of pop to accompany the movies they purchased as part of the sale. Proceeds from the Movie Nest liquidation will go toward future student-run business ventures. Thanks go to all students, faculty and staff who purchased movies last week. A special thanks goes to the library for purchasing the remaining movies left over from the sale.

The other section of Entrepreneurship has chosen the winning design for the Pride T contest. Congratulations go to Tom Walsh and Caroline Stringer, the designers. The winning design will be revealed to the SMU community in early October. Orders for shirts will be taken throughout October and November. Members of both Entrepreneurship classes will be modeling Pride Ts around campus later this month. All proceeds will be donated to the Winona Humane Society.

“A Celebration of Words, Music, and Images” — featuring William Neil, artistic director and 2008 McKnight Visiting Composer with the American Composers Forum — will be held 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.

New works by SMU Music Department faculty Dr. Patrick O’Shea and A. Eric Heukeshoven will be performed by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven and WSU faculty Dan Sheridan, along with Ariane Lydon, Tim Britton, and Devin McCabe.

Tickets are $18.96 ($9.48 for students). A reception prepared by MyChef Creations will follow the concert.

“Seven Jewish Children,” a chamber theatre piece about Gaza, written by Caryl Churchill, will be performed at 6:15 p.m. Oct. 2-4 at the studio theatre. The freeform play is Bernadette Raspante’s senior theatre graduation project.

This fall the SMU Volunteer Committee will use funds from the “Let’s Do Lunch” events for Volunteer Services Food Shelf, and “Jeans for a Cause” funds will go toward student assistance, especially first generation students.

The first Let’s Do Lunch “Boo”fet will be Friday, Oct. 30, hosted by the Business Office and Academic Skills and Academic Advising. The Cabinet will host a Let’s Do Lunch on Dec. 4. If your department or office would like to host a “Let’s Do Lunch” second semester, contact Laurie Haase at Ext. 1464. The volunteer committee provides water, plates, napkins, silverware and desserts. Hosts are asked to bring food for the main course.

San Miguel is a Christian Brother’s mission school, part of a nationwide network of schools dedicated to teaching underserved populations of urban and rural school children.

The goals of this visit are to acquaint these children with college life and begin to inspire them to consider post-secondary education. The program also gives Saint Mary’s students – particularly education students – the opportunity to work with urban children from another culture.

The Office of Campus Ministry will be organizing a faculty/staff SOUL trip to San Miguel schools later this year.

Students are encouraged to sign up for SOUL (Serving Others United in Love) trips during October break. The cost is $40, and there are scholarships available. Spots are limited so sign up now in the Office of Campus Ministry.

One SOUL trip will visit Habitat for Humanity Twin Cities, San Miguel Middle School, and Sharing and Caring Hands of Minneapolis. This trip will embrace social issues such as poverty, homelessness, and education.

Or, experience the outdoors like never before on a SOUL trip that blends service with current food justice issues. Students will visit local organic farmers, homes that are built out of sustainable materials, and relax in the serenity of Whitewater State Park while planting trees to reduce air pollutants.

A benefit for Bob Griffin, husband of Crystal Griffin, who works in maintenance, will be Saturday, Oct. 24.

Bob Griffin is paralyzed from a staph infection in his spine. The benefit will begin at 4 p.m. at the Lewiston Community Center. There will be a silent auction at 5:30 p.m., as well as a live auction at 6 p.m. The event will conclude with a DJ.

The menu will include pulled pork, beans, salad and a roll for $10, with dessert available for purchase. Tickets are available in maintenance.

Auction items or monetary donations can be brought to the Maintenance Department or Business Office.

In recognition of national “Make a Difference Day,” Saint Mary’s Volunteer Services group is inviting Winona nonprofit agencies to submit requests for service. Mark it on your calendar!

Approximately 150 Saint Mary’s University students will be teamed up from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help groups and organizations on Saturday, Oct. 24, in recognition of “Make a Difference Day.” For more information, call Katie LaPlant at Ext. 6936 or e-mail volunteerservices@smumn.edu.

Susan Windley-Daoust of the Theology Department has an article published in the Oct. 5 2009, issue of America Magazine: The National Catholic Weekly, “A Fiery Gift: A Meditation on Birth and the Spiritual Life.”